Gary Gleans

"It's going to get worse before it gets better." I think that expression is a fitting summary for this passage. The disciples are anxious to know when Christ will come. This is a valid question that we continue to ponder to this day. Christ was somewhat cryptic in His answer but, at the same time, He told them, and us, all that we really need to know. There are a ton of eschatological debates over these verses, and I plan to ignore them all. Instead, we will focus on what I think are the three major questions that Christ answers in this text. HOW WILL CHRIST COME? Christ compares His coming to child birth. For those of you that have experience or accompanied the miracle of giving birth to a child, you know that there are several stages. There is the false labor that sends many a first time parents rushing to the hospital in the last month of pregnancy only to be told to go home and wait. Then there is the "real thing" that is unmistakable labor and thi...

WOW, Jesus loaded up both barrels when he lowered this scathing indictment of the Scribes and Pharisees and their hypocritical ways. It seems that all of these charges fit into one of five categories as several of them overlap. As always, it is easy for us to point our fingers at the attitudes and actions of these men, but we must be very careful because our hearts are not any different that theirs, apart from Christ. It is very easy and almost "second nature" for us to slip into these same sinful tendencies. So lets guard our hearts from these ungodly ways. THEY PREACH WITHOUT PRACTICE: In short, they were hypocrites. They had all of the head knowledge and were quick to tell others what to do but they did not obey their own teachings. They would condemn others while doing the same thing themselves. Knowing God's Word can be very dangerous. The more we learn, the more we become responsible to apply in our own lives. "To whom much is given, much is required....

This text is, once again, about the confrontations between the Pharisees and Sadducees and Christ. They were always looking for ways to trap Him and find some just reason to be rid of Him. As usual, they leave frustrated in their attempts to find fault and are then confronted with the truth as Christ responds to their attacks. TESTINGS OF RELIGIOUS LEADERS: The Pharisees get things started by asking about taxes. They, conveniently, bring the Herodians along so that they will have all of their bases covered. In their minds, if he says to pay the taxes, He will be despised by the people who hated to pay taxes to Rome. If He says not to pay the taxes, the Herodians will be there to accuse Him of insurrection. Christ is not phased. His answer is brilliant and His reasoning flawless. To think that this same wisdom is available to each of us through the abiding work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. The Sadducees are next in line with a ridiculous hypothetical situation in which one w...

In reality, this parable should have been included in yesterday's post as it is, yet again, an illustration of Israels rejection and the Gentiles reception. However, since it was not included, we will look at it separately and in a little more detail. I believe that it is a parable in which Christ demonstrates how God has dealt with the children of Israel in the past and then how He will deal with the Gentiles in the days ahead. Many parallels can be drawn to our present day. GOD'S PREPARATION: Christ compares the kingdom of heaven to a wedding feast. For this feast all preparations have been made by God. Everything from the place for the feast, abundant food and even the clothing for the guests to wear was graciously and abundantly provided. In some cultures, the honored guests are expected to pay for parts of the wedding. That is not the case here. God has provided all that is needed. He is preparing the heavenly banquet halls, I am sure that the food will be delici...

As I read this passage, I could not help but think of the second coming of Christ. What we call the "Triumphal Entry" was not really all that triumphal when you really stop to think about it. I doubt that CNN or even FOX covered the event. When He comes the second time, the donkey will be replaced with, what I picture as, a mighty white stead. I imagine flashes of lightning, trumpets blaring, the earth shaking and the sky ablaze with His glory. The cool thing is, that all of us get to ride along behind as Christ returns to this earth in His "True Triumphal Entry" and establishes His eternal kingdom. WOW, Lets Go!!! Upon this entry into the city of Jerusalem, He found that several things were not as they should be and ended up having to clean things up and then make it very clear that God's favor was going to shift from Israel to the Gentile nations. The following four narratives describe what Christ found in His first coming. I wonder how much will be di...

Expectations can be dangerous. Jesus was always doing and saying the unexpected. Too often we plan, dream and anticipate only to become disappointed or discouraged when things don't turn out quite the way we had imagined. None of what Christ does or says in this passage should be a surprise to the disciples because none of it is new. Yet, it seems to catch them off guard . I wonder how often I am so slow to learn? How often do I create expectations that are not biblical? How often do I forget to apply the clear revelation of God's Word to my life each day? CHRIST PREDICTS HIS SUFFERING. The disciples were still expecting a kingdom. They thought that they were going to be part of a revolution and were slow to understand that there must first be a crucifixion . It is not as if Christ had not told them this repeatedly, it is just that this information did not jive with their ideas and desires. Even though it is what was best for them, in that it would provide for th...

I must admit, that I am not sure how this parable should be interpreted. I am sorely tempted to grab a couple of commentaries, compare what others have written and then see who has the most convincing argument. I will resist this temptation for two reasons: my library is in Brazil while I am in Salina KS, and I really want to do these posts with just my Bible, pen, journal and laptop. Not that I have anything against commentaries, I just want to try to look at these passages from a fresh perspective. So here we go. I guess, by way of interpretation, there are really only three viable options that come to mind. Option one would be that Jesus was teaching us about the rewards of salvation. This would be consistent with the fact that it does not matter how long you are saved, all will be rewarded with heaven. Option two would be that Jesus was teaching us about the rewards for faithful service. This would illustrate that our rewards are not based on how much we do but on our faith...

This chapter tells us about four encounters that people had with Jesus. There are two negative examples that are starkly contrasted by two positive examples. The attitudes and actions displayed here demonstrate that Christ and His teachings were received in many different ways, as we saw in the parable of the soils. As we examine these examples, we would be wise to realize that, we too have choices to make as we approach Christ and respond to His teachings. Testing Pharisees VS Trusting Children. Once again, the Pharisees are coming to Christ in an effort to test Him and see if they can find a way to trip Him up in His teachings, so they might have an excuse to destroy Him. It seems today that may people treat God's Word in a similar way. They do not want to learn from it, or use its teachings to transform their lives. They are simply looking for something wrong with it so they can justify their refusal to obey it. This is, as the Pharisees found out, an exercise in futilit...

I think that the instructions in the passage before us present the solutions for most of the interpersonal problems that believers face today. In fact, I think that our failure to practice these basic principles has crippled the effectiveness of many churches and left many believers in a perpetual state of immaturity. The principles are not complicated or difficult to understand. Our difficulty in applying them comes from our lack of the humility, sincerity and sensitivity discussed in the previous passage. God's solution for GOSSIP: FRANK COMMUNICATION. We seem to be experts at detecting the faults of others. It is far easier for us to know when someone offends us, than it is to perceive when we have offended someone else. This is true in every relationship including marriage, family, work, church, ministry, neighbors, friendships etc.. The problem is, that when these offenses occur or faults are detected, we do not use the open and frank communication that this passage re...

There is something very special about children. We are supposed to become wise with age, and I suppose we do, but along the way we often loose the innocence and tenderness that we had as children. Jesus uses children in this passage to illustrate the importance of three virtues that God loves. If we are to live in a way that is pleasing to God, in these areas, we must revert to our childhood. HUMILITY: The disciples are worried about who will be the greatest in God's kingdom. I can imagine them all raising their hands like kids in a school yard saying: "pick me, pick me." They were an ambitious bunch, but lacked the quality that God longs to see in His followers lives: humility. Children know that they are small, dependant and need help. Adults strive for importance, independence and self-sufficiency. The truth is that, before God, we must all recognize that we are children. His supremacy should be at the forefront of our thoughts about God. Out utter dependence should b...

This chapter relates three events, all of which seem to be unrelated, but they all attest to the deity and power of Christ. The middle one has become a common occurrence in the ministry of Christ, but the first and last are totally unique. THE MAJESTIC TRANSFIGURATION: I like to think of the transfiguration of Christ as a little appetizer that was given to Peter, James and John. What an amazing experience this must have been! Then to top it off, they could not tell anyone about it until after the resurrection. I'll bet Peter had a hard time keeping his mouth shut. Of the disciples, these three would be the most prominent and the most persecuted. This event must have given them assurance as they faced difficult times. Seeing Christ transfigured along with Moses and Elijah just showing up must have been mind boggling. I love that Peter is so excited that he just can't be quiet. His idea of building altars to Moses and Elijah borders on idolatry, but I love his passion. ...

As a teacher, I know that students can be the source of both great joy and great frustration. At times, they have moments of great understanding and it is wonderful to see "lights" come on in their minds and then glow in their eyes. Then there are other times, when after going over the same material for the fifth time, it is still very obvious that they just don't "get it." This passage gives me the feel of a classroom and I can imagine how Christ must have felt as He responds to His "students" who, for the most part, seem to still be in the dark. Let's examine and learn from the various interactions between the Master and His pupils. There was CONFLICT between Jesus and the Pharisees. This, of course, is nothing new. This time they come to Him asking for a sign from heaven. I think that it is obvious by His response that he was "fed up" with these stubborn men. What more did they want Him to do? God has already audibly declared ...

It is interesting to see how different people or groups of people responded to Christ or interacted with Him. In the previous text we can see that the Pharisees must have been infuriated by what they heard in Christ's teachings. However, not all had this same response. The Syrophoenician Woman was INSISTENT on being helped by Christ. Her daughter was being controlled by an evil spirit and she knew that He could help. He seems unwilling because she was a gentile woman, but she would not take no for an answer. She was desperate and she trusted exclusively in Christ's ability solve her problem. I wonder if God sees this same desperation and confidence in my prayers? How often do I think that I can handle life's problems on my own? When was the last time that I was insistent with God because I knew that I had no hope apart from Him? The Crowd was INSPIRED after being healed by Christ. This is at least the third time that huge multitudes flock around Christ and all find...

It is so easy to deceive ourselves into thinking that we can please God through our performance without giving Him our hearts. When we focus on performance, we become experts at rationalizing about our behavior to the point that we can convince ourselves that all is well even when we are living in obvious sin. The Pharisees had their religion of self-righteousness and rationalization down pat. They had plenty of rules and regulations, but no true love for God or relationship with Him. If I am honest with myself, the religion of rules is, far too often, the direction in which my heart leans so I must constantly remind myself of the truths of this text. Walking with God is not about the TRADITIONAL it is about the RELATIONAL. The Pharisees confront Christ because His disciples are not washing their hands before they eat in the way that the tradition of the elders said they should. Christ ignores their preoccupation with hands and goes straight for the heart. Apparently, the Pharis...

In light of how John's life ended, we might be tempted to question the sovereignty and/or power of God. I think it very fitting that the story of his death is followed by two of the most amazing miracles Christ ever performed. The disciples might have become intimidated by what happened to John and may have been tempted to doubt the wisdom of following Christ. However, they were not only witnesses of but participants in the miracles that follow. This must have brought them great assurance, as it should to us. In Christ we find PROVISION: If there was any doubt in the disciple's minds about Christ's ability to provide for their needs, watching five loaves of bread and two fish multiply into a feast for five thousand men plus their families, should have removed this doubt. Following Christ will often lead us into circumstances where we must face gargantuan obstacles with, seemingly, infinitesimal resources. It is during those times that we would be wise to remember what...

There are times in Scripture, where the reality of history does not jive with our expectations or sense of "fairness." This is one of those times. We do not expect John the Baptist's life to end in this manner. It just does not seem fair that this great man's life be snuffed out by the whims of a bitter woman and a spineless leader. But that is just what happened. I want to look at this story from the perspective of each of the three main characters and try to "glean" some practical lessons that each of us would do well to heed. John suffered under the CONSEQUENCES OF PREACHING: The truth is not always, or even often, popular. John was not one to shy away from speaking the truth, no matter what the consequences. He saw Herod living in open sin with Herodias, and he called them on it. This bold commitment to proclaiming the truth landed him in prison, and eventually, landed his head on a platter. In reality, this result should not surprise us since countless ...

This chapter is all about planting and harvesting. There are a variety of fields and seeds, some are productive and some are dangerous. Each of these parables are rich in content and, quite honestly, deserve a post each. However, we will be looking at the chapter as a whole. Jesus begins to teach in parables for two basic reasons: First, to reveal truth to His disciples in such a way that will promote reflection and therefore be more memorable. Second, to hide truth from those who had no interest in following Him. Only Christ can hide and reveal at the same time. There are seven parables in this passage, however, three of them are basically repeated twice so we are left with four central teachings about soil and seeds in the kingdom of God. The Kingdom has DIFFERENT SOIL: I need to look at this parable from two different perspectives: that of the sower and that of the soil. As a sower of seed (teacher of truth), I need to remember that there will be a wide variety of responses that va...

As I read this and so many of the previous passages, I am beginning to think that the temptation Jesus faced in the wilderness was a "cake walk" in comparison to the temptation that it must have been to call down fire from heaven to consume the Pharisees. It seems they were always around and looking for ways to find fault with everything that he did. Unfortunately, I see some of these same tendencies in my own life. Today's passage gives some viable alternatives to the attitudes that, so easily, become our habits. COMPASSION IN THE PLACE OF LEGALISM: The Pharisees were so hung up on the sabbath that they lost sight of their own hearts. There is such a danger of slipping into a "list of do's and dont's" religion. I think it has to do with our desire to gain favor with God on our own merit as opposed to by His grace. The disciples happened to "glean" a little wheat to eat as they were walking with Jesus and then Jesus heals a woman's ...

I have often wondered what was going on in John's mind to bring about the events of this passage. He had done what he was sent to do -- prepare the way for Messiah. Yet, he found himself in prison. This was probably not the reward he had hoped for or the position he had hoped to occupy in the kingdom he was helping to "usher in." I am sure I would have had my doubts as well. It seems God rarely operates on the time table or in the manner that we expect. At any rate, the inquiry that John made to Christ concerning His identity afforded Jesus the opportunity to give a little history lesson on the dealings of God with men and the way these men responded. GOD'S REVELATION: God revealed Himself through MIRACLES. Jesus told John's friend to go report to him about what they had seen Christ do. Unprecedented demonstrations of God's power were happening all over Israel and especially, the poor and rejected were receiving the Gospel. This should have been proof enough ...

This chapter is Jesus' commissioning service for the disciples. He sent them out to advance the message of the kingdom. Until now, they have been walking with Him and watching His every move. That is about to change. Now, they are to go out on their own. This is like a ministry assignment in the "Jesus Bible College." During their commissioning, Jesus seeks to prepare them for this new experience with instructions, warnings and promises. INSTSTRUCTIONS for PROCLAMATION: They are told to: Reveal God's Word, Rely on God's Wisdom, Remain in God's Work and Receive God's Witnesses. Their primary task it to proclaim the Word of God, warning their hearers of the coming judgment. They can do this task with full confidence that God will equip them for anything that they might face. Therefore, they are not to be intimidated by the fierce opposition that Christ knows they will face. As they do this, they are not to become self consumed but to recognize th...

There is so much pain and suffering all around us. There are so many needs that, after awhile, it is easy to become numb and start pretending they are not there, or go on ignoring them all together. Jesus was not like that. He, not only, was attentive to the needs of people but active in meeting those needs. He refused to ignore the problems of people but got involved. This text gives us three examples from Christ's ministry that we would do well to emulate. Christ Ministered to People. Matthew said that he traveled to all the cities and villages, teaching, preaching and healing everywhere he went. The schedule must have been grueling but the job was so vital that it merited this tireless dedication. Many people are motivated by money to work long hours and pour themselves into their work. We must be motivated by the eternal souls of men to dedicate all of our strength so that all the cities and villages of the world might find hope in Christ. Christ was Moved to Compassion. He was...

This passage records another four miracles that Jesus performed. Each one was unique in its problem, setting and method but the result was always the same. People were helped and God was praised. Jesus cures a Dead Daughter. We don't know how she died, but we do know that her father believed that Jesus could heal her, from even death. The crowd laughed at Jesus when He informed them that she was not truly dead but soon the joke would be on them when the girl "woke up." Jesus cures a Waiting Woman. This poor lady had been afflicted for twelve years. She was either too afraid or too ashamed to ask Jesus to heal her but her faith was so strong in His power that she knew that if she could just sneak in a "touch" that she would be made well. She was right and she was restored. Jesus cures Blind Beggars. These two guys knew Jesus could heal them but were unable to find Him. They just decided to start yelling until they could capture His attention. They were ...

Have you ever noticed how some people love to criticize? They just seem to have the ability to find something wrong with anything and are not hesitant to make their displeasure known. Criticism can sap our energy, suck the joy out of our lives and leave us discouraged or even depressed. If we become obsessed with what others are thinking and saying about us, criticism will have an even greater impact on us. We must be careful not to become pleasers of men but strive to live in a manner that is pleasing to God. This text should make us all feel better in the face of criticism for it tells us that we are in good company. Jesus was constantly criticized. This passage shows us three instances in which He was criticized and how He responded to it. Jesus was Criticized for FORGIVING a Sick Sinner. The lame man in this story was brought to Christ by his friends. Christ was filled with compassion for him and told him that his sins were forgiven and that he could now carry his bed on h...

This passage is all about fear. Not all fear is sinful for we are commanded to fear God. But often, fear reveals a lack of faith. Our fear of God should cause us to revere Him. However, if it is a sinful fear, it will cause us to run from Him. This passage has five instances of fear. Some of it is godly fear and some of it is sinful fear. But there are lessons to be learned from both. The disciples had fear of the storm. Storms at sea, or on the Amazon, can be frightening. I don't believe it is sinful to experience fear when we face peril. However, the disciples allowed their fear to lead them into sin. When they saw Jesus sleeping in the midst of the storm, their faith in Him faltered and they accused Him of not caring. How often does that happen in our lives? In the midst of a storm, we allow our circumstance to cause us to question the goodness of God and we stop trusting Him. We must always recognize that He can calm any storm and resolve any circumstance we might...

Ministry is a lot like marriage. Marriage is about leaving and cleaving. Ministry requires the same. Following Christ may require us to SACRIFICE our comfort. When the scribe came to Jesus, wanting to follow Him, Christ made it clear that it would not be an easily life. There would be many sacrifices. He pointed to the fact that birds and foxes have more stable homes than He did. Christ does not promise comfort or stability to His disciples. They are called to leave all of that behind and cleave to Christ. Following Christ may require us to SEPARATE from family. Another disciple desires to follow Christ, but wants to delay until his father dies. We don't have much information about his reasoning, but it, more than likely, had to do with receiving an inheritance that would have given some financial security. Or it could have simply been a deep affection for his family that he didn't want to sacrifice. Without a doubt, the hardest part of being a missionary is leaving ...

We say that variety is the spice of life. I think God would agree with that statement. The fact that the Body of Christ is made up of such diversity seems to support that notion. In this passage Matthew tells of Christ's healing ministry in four very different contexts. Christ heals a Jewish Leaper. Leapers were considered unclean and therefore ostracized from society. The separation from family, friends and society as a whole made it one of the most dreaded diseases of that day. But this leaper seeks Jesus out and expresses his confidence in Jesus' ability to heal him, if He was willing. Jesus was willing and the man walked away with clean skin. Christ told him to go present himself to the priest and to keep quiet about it. In Christ there is always hope, but we must exercise that simple faith, knowing that God is always able in any circumstance we might face. Christ heals a Gentile's son. Most Jews had no association with Gentiles whatsoever. But this man, move...

Most students consider finals week to be the most stressful time of each semester. Usually there is major project due close to the same time. They have procrastinated their way through the semester, and now face, not only five major projects that were meant to take weeks each to complete, but they are supposed to be preparing for the final examination in each class. There are months worth of work to accomplish and they have a week and a half. Nobody is sleeping very much these days. A gracious teacher will provide a study guide for the final exam in hopes of helping to assure that the same students will not be taking this same class a year from now. It was hard enough to read all their "snow" the first time. The chapter before us is much like a "life guide" that will help us prepare for the ultimate "finals week" we each must face when we stand before God. Jesus advises us that if we examine ourselves now, it will make God's final exam much les...

As I observe my own life and the lives of many around me, I think that we are far too frantic. We rush from here to there with our schedules full of activity and our minds full of anxiety. Life seems to full of hurry and worry. Jesus has a different plan. In this text He starts out by giving us two reasons why we should not live this way and then He tells us two ways we can stop. WHY NOT WORRY: Obey God's Command. We should not worry because God has commanded us not to worry. He knows that it is a waste of time and energy. Worry saps our strength and keeps us from rejoicing in our relationship with God. It reveals pride and a lack of gratitude in our hearts. God's command is clear: "Do not be worried about your life." Observe God's Creation. We should not worry because we can clearly see how He controls and cares for even the most insignificant parts of His creation. The birds eat bountifully and the flowers dress beautifully under Gods loving care and ...

Once again Christ drives home the message that we must be careful not to be motivated by the praise of men when we "practice righteousness". Everyone likes to get a pat on the back, but we must not let this become our goal. For when it does, it disqualifies us from the eternal rewards that result from true and purely motivated righteousness. There are three disciplines that Jesus specifically encourages us to practice for which He promises rewards if we are not "showing off". SECRET GIVING: When we help the poor or drop money in the offering, we must be careful to keep quiet about it. Money reveals so much about our hearts and our priorities. God wants us to give generously and He wants us to give gladly but He also want us to give quietly. We should not want or expect to have plaques put up on walls or have buildings named after us because we donated the money for a pew, a project or a property. We give that God might be glorified and He has promised to rew...